Ljubljana Reading Manifesto: Why Book Reading Matters

As a Guest of honour at Frankfurt book fair, Slovenia emphasizes higher-level reading in a Manifesto, stating it enhances critical thinking, cognitive empathy, and social skills crucial for informed citizens in a democratic society.

As one of its core programme features, Slovenia decided to pinpoint the importance of higher-level reading. To this end, a Ljubljana Manifesto on Higher Level Reading Higher-level reading was prepared, stressing that reading of complex, linear texts remains our strongest tool for analytical and critical thinking. Such reading exercises metacognition and cognitive patience, expands our conceptual capacities, trains cognitive empathy and perspective-taking – social skills which are indispensable for informed citizens in a democratic society. Manifesto was signed by the International Publishers’ Association, German Academy for Language and Literature, Federation of European Publishers, PEN International and the International Federation of Library Associations. Signatories call to acknowledge the permanent significance of higher-level reading in the digital era.

Manifesto will be presented by the signatories.

Co-organiser: German Academy for Language and Literature